In the midst of an ongoing housing emergency, the city of Los Angeles has struggled to keep rent-controlled housing, which includes some of the city’s most affordable dwelling units, from turning into short-term rentals. Even though a 2018 law prohibits such conversions, enforcement has been lax.
Florida
The Problem with DeSantis’s ‘Election Police’ Intimidation
Is Gov. Ron DeSantis going too far in trying to defeat an amendment to restore abortion access? “Gov. DeSantis is using his election police to intimidate voters who dare to have beliefs that differ from his. This opens the door towards making voters and all Floridians feel unsafe for voicing their constitutionally protected opinions on important issues like abortion,” says All Voting is Local Action’s Florida State Director Brad Ashwell.
Legislative Analysts Warn Florida’s Surpluses Could Turn to Billion-Dollar Deficits as Federal Aid Dries Up
While there are numerous caveats, the picture could go from a $2.09 billion surplus during the upcoming 2025-2026 fiscal year to a potential deficit of $2.826 billion in the 2026-2027 fiscal year and a potential deficit of $6.941 billion in the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
Abortions Down 13% in First 8 Months After Florida’s Restrictions Became Law
The number of abortions reported in Florida during the first eight months of this year was nearly 13 percent lower than during the same period in 2022 and 2023, as a law preventing abortions after six weeks of pregnancy has led to fewer procedures.
Florida College Students Return to Campuses Bristling with Restrictions on Protests
Florida’s college and university students are starting the academic year greeted by friends and professors — and by warnings from administrators and Attorney General Ashley Moody about how to express their views on campus. The directives follow nationwide protests over Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza. While the scale of protests has varied nationwide, some led to arrests, including at the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, and the University of North Florida.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Decision Blocking Christian School’s Pre-Game Prayer Over Loudspeakers
A federal appeals court Tuesday said the Florida High School Athletic Association did not violate First Amendment rights when it blocked a Tampa Christian school from offering a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a 2015 high-school football championship game. A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2022 ruling by U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell in the lawsuit filed by Cambridge Christian School.
A 10-Year-Old Pointed a Finger Gun. He Was Kicked Out His School for a Year.
Over the last couple of years, Tennessee and several other states [including Florida] have been making it easier for schools to suspend or expel students. But study after study has shown that harsh disciplinary practices such as mandatory expulsions are ineffective at reducing violence in schools. What’s more, research shows that such practices often lead to Black students and students with disabilities being disproportionately suspended and expelled, making them more likely to end up in the criminal justice system.
Here’s How You Fix Your Florida Parks Problem, Gov. DeSantis
Gov. DeSantis’s super-sneaky plan to build a trio of golf courses, two 350-room hotels, and several sport facilities in nine state parks turned out about as well as his school board endorsements. Here’s a way to fix the mess.
The GOP’s Romance with Misogyny
That was Donald Trump watching the Democratic National Convention, wheezing in impotent rage at those uppity, nasty women, and all those people determined to elect Kamala Harris. The Party of Misogyny (you know them as Republicans) simply cannot process the possibility a woman, a chick, a human with a vajayjay! might become the most powerful person on the planet.
Rejecting ‘existence of a fundamental right,’ Appeals Court Leaves Minor Transgender Care Ban in Place
In a decision that could have far-reaching implications in the legal battle over treatments for transgender children, a fiercely divided federal appeals court on Wednesday refused to reconsider a ruling that backed Alabama’s ban on hormone therapy and puberty blockers for trans minors. The decision by the full 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals effectively kept in place a ruling by a three-judge panel that overturned a preliminary injunction a district judge had issued blocking the Alabama law.
Florida Kills Loran Cole, Inmate with Parkinson’s, Over FSU Student’s Murder
More than 30 years after he murdered a Florida State University student who was on a camping trip in the Ocala National Forest, Loran Cole was executed by lethal injection Thursday evening at Florida State Prison. Cole, 57, was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. and became the first inmate executed in Florida this year. He could be seen breathing heavily and briefly trembling after the lethal-injection process started at 6 p.m. but did not move after 6:06 p.m.
Gov. Ron DeSantis Says He’s Not ‘Losing His Grip.’
Gov. Ron DeSantis denied Thursday that he is “losing his grip on Florida” amid the backlash against his administration’s proposal to build golf courses, hotels, and other projects in Florida state parks. During a news conference in Crystal River, the governor was asked about a Tampa Bay Times article suggesting the outraged reaction to the proposal from a bipartisan collection of elected officials demonstrates a decline in his influence.
Appeals Court Stays Judge’s Injunction, Allowing Florida to Restrict Treatment for Transgender for Now
A federal appeals court has at least temporarily allowed Florida to move forward with restrictions on treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender people. A panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday issued a stay of a ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle that blocked the restrictions. The stay effectively means the restrictions can take effect while the appeals court considers an underlying appeal of Hinkle’s decision.
Critics Want DeSantis Parks Plan Shredded For Good
Environmentalists are seeking assurances that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration has scrapped plans for a series of golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park after a state spokeswoman said the proposal has been dropped. Audubon Florida, the Sierra Club and other groups also are rallying against additional changes floated by the state Department of Environmental Protection for eight other award-winning state parks. The plans, which include a pair of resort-sized lodges, pickleball courts and disc-golf courses, have drawn fierce opposition from Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
‘Hell No!’ Response and Plan Sponsor’s Pull-Out Force DeSantis Administration to ‘Pause’ State Park Scheme
In a masterpiece of spin and understatement, the DeSantis administration credited “overwhelming interest” for temporarily pausing a scheme to put golf courses, hotels and pickleball courts on nine of Florida’s pristine state parks. “Overwhelming opposition” better describes the thunderous “Hell no!” Tallahassee was hearing from private citizens and public officials throughout the state. The secretive groups behind the plan heard the dissent loud and clear. The Tuskegee Dunes Foundation acknowledged it sponsored the plan to build on the park and has pulled out due to the public backlash.
17 of Ron DeSantis’s 23 School Board Picks Either Lost or Must Face Runoff
Only six School Board candidates backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated victories in Tuesday’s Primary. Out of DeSantis’ 23 endorsed candidates, voters rejected 11 outright. Six others failed to get majority support, meaning they must face a General Election runoff. Those rejected included Derek Barrs in Flagler County, who lost to Janie Ruddy, a Democratic-backed candidate.
DeSantis Wants to Build Golf Courses and Hotels in Florida’s State Parks
The DeSantis administration has plans to transform Florida’s award winning state parks. One of the worst plans talks of building not one, not two, but three golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound. There are plans at the other parks for big motels and pickleball courts and disc golf courses, all of which run completely counter to what our state parks are all about.
Supreme Court Refuses to Block Killing of Loran Cole, Murderer of Florida State Student
The Florida Supreme Court on Friday unanimously rejected an appeal by Death Row inmate Lauren Cole, who is convicted of killing a Florida State University student three decades ago, likely setting in motion last-minute federal court appeals before a scheduled execution next week.
Florida’s New Idea for Anastasia and Other State Parks: Pickle Ball, Golf, 350-Room Hotels
Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection has a plan, not yet made public, of developing numerous state parks with golf courses, “lodges” with up to 350 rooms, and pickleball courts, including at St. Johns’s Anastatsia State Park. Doing so would be “travesties,” an Audubon official said.
Education Department Disputes Teachers Union’s Vacancy Rate Claims
Opening day teacher vacancies dropped by 13.3% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to the Florida Department of Education. A news release from the department did not include the total number of vacancies, nor did officials respond to a request for the number.
Ocala Appeals Ruling That Public Prayer Vigil Organized by Police Chief and Others Was Unconstitutional
Attorneys for Ocala last week filed a notice that is a first step in asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a June 26 decision by U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan that the city violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution by organizing and carrying out the prayer vigil.
After $17.5 Million Splurge on His Office and Friends’ Hires, Ex-UF President Ben Sasse Says He Is ‘Dang Proud’
Ex-University of Florida President Ben Sasse more than tripled his office’s spending to $17.3 million when compared to his predecessor. The costs included hiring several of his former U.S. Senate staffers, including two who were allowed to work remotely from the Washington, D.C., area. Sasse said he was “dang proud” of new initiatives run out of the president’s office, aggressively defending what he called his “‘go bigger’ approach” and efforts to establish “new initiatives” at the school.
Teacher and Support Staff Vacancies Near 10,000 in Florida, About 1,150 Fewer Than a Year Ago
Nearly 10,000 public school teacher and staff positions are vacant as the 2024-2025 school year opens, according to Florida Education Association data. Of the 9,842 vacancies, 5,007 are instructional positions and 4,835 are support staff. The number of vacancies is down from 11,992 in August 2023.
The “School Choice” Swindle Is Demolishing Public Schools
“School choice” is an orchestrated demolition of public schools and the social contract. The focus-group euphemism masks the thieving of tax dollars to subsidize private schools, transforming what was once an aspiration of fringe Christian and anti-government militants into state doctrine. Flagler County schools are losing close to $11 million this year to “choice.”
Flagler County’s 4.6% Unemployment Is Highest in Three Years; Florida’s Rate Stays at 3.3% for 4th Month
Flagler County’s unemployment rate of 46 percent in July was the highest since August 2021, when it was 4.9 percent and rapidly falling from its Covid-era high of 11.1 percent the year before. he labor force had also been gaining steadily until last August, when it peaked at 52,293, a record. It has fallen since. In July, it was 51,739, about where it stood in January. That suggests the county’s influx of new residents, especially working-age families, has slowed.
Senator Proposes Banning Smoking in All Florida Public Places
While he supports a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana, state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said Thursday he will propose legislation that would ban smoking of all types in public places.
Flagler’s Election Turnout Tracks Down from 2020 But Elections Supervisor Lenhart Applauds Candidates’ Civility
Flagler County’s election turnout is tracking lower than in the 2020 primary as a variety of factors, including new laws restricting voter freedoms, have taken full effect. As of today turnout is less than 16 percent in the primary election in Flagler, with two days of early voting plus election day left. But Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart said she was proud of local candidates, who have maintained a level of civility unseen in years.
Religious Leaders Warn Schools of Liability Dangers of Voluntary Chaplain Program
School districts have shown little interest in welcoming volunteer chaplains to serve in their facilities, an initiative recently permitted by the Legislature that, according to the ACLU, could create legal liability for schools and risk creating an environment of “religious coercion and indoctrination of students.” For school boards and districts that may move to implement the program, religious and civil rights leaders have recommended approaches they believe would best protect children.
Producer of Lab-Grown Poultry Sues Florida Over ‘Cultivated Meat’ Ban
A California-based producer of lab-grown poultry filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new Florida ban on selling or manufacturing “cultivated” meat. UPSIDE Foods, Inc., contends, in part, that the law violates a constitutional prohibition on favoring in-state businesses over out-of-state competitors.
After Lawmaker Complains of Alleged Anti-Israel Bias, Florida Universities Are Ordered to Scan Materials
Florida university presidents have been instructed to scan their syllabi for material deemed antisemitic or exhibiting anti-Israeli bias following concerns raised by Rep. Randy Fine. Once a course has been reviewed and all instances of antisemitism and anti-Israel bias have been flagged, universities must report their findings to the chancellor’s office.
Loran Cole, Set to Be Killed by State, Cites Florida’s Complicity in ‘Horrific’ Dozier School Abuse in Appeal
Loran Cole, a Death Row inmate who spent time at the notorious Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and is the first prisoner scheduled to be executed this year in Florida is asking a judge to vacate his death sentence, arguing the state is “complicit in the horrific and tragic” abuse at the reform school that “contributed to his life choices.”
Hurricane Debby Follows Idalia’s Path, But with More Limited Impacts
Debby made landfall Monday morning near Steinhatchee as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. It came after rural Taylor County last August also took the brunt of Idalia, which made landfall in Keaton Beach. Debby’s damage was far less severe.
To Succeed Travis Hutson, Tom Leek’s Battle of the Fliers with David Shoar Is Among Key Florida Senate Races
The Republican primary for Senate District 7–made up of St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and part of Volusia counties–has drawn a flood of money and endorsements as House Appropriations Chairman Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar and financial adviser Gerry James seek to represent the heavily Republican district. Term-limited Sen. Travis Hutson, R-St. Augustine, cannot seek re-election in the district.
Florida’s Teachers Unions Urge Judge to Side with Transgender Teacher Over State’s Pronoun Dogma
Accusing Florida of “dangerous political theater,” state and national teachers unions have urged an appeals court to side with a transgender Hillsborough County teacher who challenged a law requiring educators to use pronouns that align with their sex assigned at birth. The unions filed a 47-page brief arguing that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should uphold a district judge’s decision that the law violated the First Amendment rights of teacher Katie Wood.
New Beach Erodes in Flagler Beach as Tropical Storm Debby Batters Northern Path with Potentially Catastrophic Rains
Impacts in Flagler County were expected to be more limited to winds in the 20 to 30 mph range for the rest of the day and some heavy rainfall, but the sea’s impact on Flagler County’s shore was already apparent as churns eroded significant portions of the newly renourished beach at the south end of Flagler Beach, while further eroding the redder, not-yet renourished sands north of the pier.
DeSantis Campaign Book Is Now on an AP English Course Reading List
The Ron DeSantis campaign tract, “The Courage to Be Free,” released ahead of his 2024 presidential campaign, is on the summer reading list for AP Language and Composition at Lawton Chiles High in Leon County. Lawton Chiles would not have approved.
Florida Officials Want Supreme Court to Approve a Manipulated ‘Impact Statement’ on Abortion Amendment
Lawyers for Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner on Friday urged the Florida Supreme Court to reject an attempt to invalidate a revised “financial impact statement” that would appear on the November ballot with a proposed constitutional amendment on abortion rights. A state panel made controversial changes to the financial impact statement, which Floridians Protecting Freedom–leading efforts to pass the constitutional amendment–wants invalidated.
Abortion Rights Bus Tours Florida Ahead of Convention
The national abortion rights advocacy group Free & Just brought its “Ride to Decide” bus tour to the Sunshine State this week, making appearances in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. The bus tour kicked off in Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention last month and is hitting states up and down the East Coast and South for the next few weeks before concluding at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later in August.
Florida and 3 States Scramble to Avoid Enforcement of Federal Rule Prohibiting Gender Discrimination
Hours after a U.S. district judge ruled against them, Florida and three other states late Tuesday asked an appeals court to temporarily halt a new federal rule about sex-based discrimination in education programs. The states have prevented transgender students from using school bathrooms that don’t match their sex assigned at birth and blocked or restricted treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for people with gender dysphoria.
Trump-Appointed Federal Judge Rejects Florida’s Claim That Biden Administration Overstepped on Gender Rules
Florida and three other states alleged in part that the Biden administration overstepped its legal authority in extending Title IX regulations to apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Judge Axon, who is based in Alabama, said the plaintiffs had not provided adequate arguments to obtain a preliminary injunction.
DeSantis Signs Ninth Death Warrant: Loran Cole, 57, for 1994 Murder of Florida State Student John Edwards
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a death warrant for an inmate convicted in the 1994 murder of a Florida State University student who went to the Ocala National Forest to camp with his sister. Loran Cole, 57, is scheduled to be executed Aug. 29 at Florida State Prison.
J.D. Vance Eclipses DeSantis. But He Might Want to Watch His Back.
If Trump wins and somehow doesn’t declare himself president-for-life, Vance will be the nominee in 2028. Ditto if Trump loses and the country survives the violence. Vance could end up as president before then, possibly without lifting a finger — except maybe to pass Trump the Pretzel Bacon Pub Cheeseburgers that finally tip him over into massive stroke territory. Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and their autocracy-loving billionaire buds will see to that.
Florida Schools May Not Return to Pre-Pandemic Enrollment for 10 Years, Economists Forecast
A state forecast indicates Florida schools will experience declining enrollment in five of the next six years, with the one positive year representing less than a 0.1% increase. The student enrollment forecast from the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research predicts that 12,379 fewer students will attend traditional public schools during the 2024-2025 school year, a 0.5% drop from 2.366 million to 2.354 million.
Project 2025 is a Bad Bet for Florida’s Future
Project 2025 is a blueprint for Trump’s next term. It is full of recommendations for clamping down on abortion, banning pornography, abolishing the Homeland Security and Education departments, killing the Head Start program for kids, and putting the entire executive branch, including the Department of Justice, under direct control of the president — no civil service protection.
Florida Among 25 States Seeking Halt to Biden Rule Restricting Coal-Fired Power Plants
In Florida, coal is no longer a major factor in electricity generation. As 0f 2022, and coal-fired power plants supplied about 6% of the energy supply, down from 36% in 2001, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Attorneys argue that if the Biden administration’s rule is allowed to continue, it will mean that hundreds of megawatts will be forced offline, leading to power shortages during critical weather during the summer and winter.
Federal Judge Permanently Blocks Part of ‘Stop Woke’ Act
A federal judge Friday permanently blocked restrictions that Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers placed on addressing race-related issues in workplace training — part of a controversial 2022 law that DeSantis dubbed the “Stop WOKE Act.”
Florida High School Athletes May Now Cash In With Sponsors as State Board Approves ‘NIL’ Plan
While saying additional protections are needed, the State Board of Education on Wednesday ratified a plan approved last month by the Florida High School Athletic Association that will allow high school athletes to get paid through name, image and likeness, or “NIL,” deals.
Florida Has the Highest Rate of Heat-Related Illnesses, Report Finds
More than 5.7 million Floridians are vulnerable to extreme heat, according to a report from the Florida Policy Institute, which called upon state lawmakers to repeal a new law that prohibits local governments from enacting heat protections for outdoor workers.
Florida Issues Potentially Intrusive Social Media Age-Verification Rules to Ban Children from Platforms
The law, which will take effect Jan. 1, seeks to prevent children under age 16 from opening social-media accounts on at least some platforms — though it would allow parents to give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts. Children under 14 could not open accounts. It also requires age verification to try to prevent minors under age 18 from having access to online pornographic sites.
Florida Democrats, Mirroring Nation’s, Quickly Rally Around Kamala Harris
Members of Florida’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention threw their support Monday to Vice President Kamala Harris, a day after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election campaign. As part of a rapidly moving effort to coalesce support behind the vice president, a group of Florida party leaders held a call with reporters to back Harris’ bid to become president and pointed to increased enthusiasm they hope translates down the ballot.